


A Hunter's Demise

by Nytestalker13



Series: Thirteen gods: the outlines [1]
Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Agender Artemis, Agender Character, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ares just wants everyone to get along, Asexual Character, Autistic Ares, Disabled Ares, Disabled Character, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, I guess that might be the tag, I promise athena is not really that stupid, If I misses something i'm sorry, Maybe she is not sex-repulsed but she doesn't know that yet., Multi, Non-Binary Athena, Non-binary character, Other, Praise Kink, Rape/Non-con Elements, Recovery is hard. Don't judge. Respect people's labels even if they change, Threesome - F/F/M, autistic Artemis, emotions are hard, making an effort, sex-repulsed asexual, the wild hunt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-01 07:02:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21429277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nytestalker13/pseuds/Nytestalker13
Summary: When one wants to make a goddess psychotic, you can do it much as you would to any dog or human for that matter. Give the dog (or goddess we, of course, do not discriminate here) praise and then beat them over something small. Do it enough times and soon you have something crazy.Artemis had, over the course of several thousand years, a lot of time to think about all these things. she had the time when Apollo was beating her, only to then, apologize and promise her the world well he was making love to her.Artemis tended to think long and hard on a lot of things but, at this point in her life, she could not seem to find the wherewithal to care about it. being her brother's toy, his pet, his whatever… well, it was just easier than fighting. she had for lack of a better word, given up.
Relationships: Apollo/Artemis (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Ares/Artemis (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Ares/Artemis/Athena (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Ares/Athena (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Artemis & Orion (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Artemis & The Wild Hunt, Hera/Zeus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Series: Thirteen gods: the outlines [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1544896
Kudos: 16





	1. The thing that I am calling a prologue but is really just the few paragraphs that started this Nano Draft

**Author's Note:**

> This is a 2019 Nanowrimo Draft. It is completely unedited except for Grammarly when I am posting it. Please read the tags. And please do not come yelling to me that this is not how the gods act. I am aware of this, but this is my mythology, not yours. Thank you!

When one wants to make a goddess psychotic, you can do it much as you would to any dog or human for that matter. Give the dog (or goddess we, of course, do not discriminate here) praise and then beat them over something small. Do it enough times and soon you have something crazy. However, if you wish to have a sane, but Psychotic, Goddess at your beck and call, you will need to add an extra step into her training. You have to mind fuck her hard. Make her think that everything is for her own good and that you love her. If only she would try a bit harder, there would be no reason that you would never have to fix anything, but here you are. If done correctly she will believe it to be so true that nothing anyone else tells her will change or sway her from your side.

It is not to say that this method will always work, but it had for Artemis. she was completely loyal to her younger brother. She knew that she would never go against him when he killed that pervert, Orian, to save her from his lustful advances (the fact that Orian was ARO and asexual, did not remotely feel that way about her in any way, and thought just that the fact she was a hunter, and female was pretty awesome, was notwithstanding.) 

Artemis had, over the course of several thousand years, a lot of time to think about all these things. she had the time when Apollo was beating her, only to then, apologize and promise her the world well he was making love to her. she never thought of it as making love. it was always trying not to gag and force him off her. she did not like it when he called her a good girl or told her that she was doing so good; it had always made her feel like a dog. 

Artemis tended to think long and hard on a lot of things but, at this point in her life, she could not seem to find the wherewithal to care about it. being her brother's toy, his pet, his whatever… well, it was just easier than fighting. she had for lack of a better word, given up.


	2. to meet/ to dream/ to want/ and yet not see

Artemis knew that he had a choice. either she could pretend that she did not care that the person in front of her was trying to get her notice, or she could take a chance and see if everything was as evil and ruined as Apollo had made it out to be. She didn't see how either option was a good one. She had never taken the time to explore this facet of her psyche. When she thought about doing so with Orian, he had turned her down and then ran off. There had never been another who had gotten close enough to make that connection with. Or, she amended, if they had tried then Apollo would have killed them. To protect her. Of course. He just wants to keep her safe. So to be sure, if you had asked her if she had any preferences for a partner Artemis would have laughed and told you no. Now that she had seen the goddess in front of her she was not so sure. 

She was perfection. Hair that curled gently in a cascade down her back, eyes of raging storms, and grace to her form that promised safety from them.

  


the natural reaction to someone of this ideal was to blush, cast one's eyes down and run away. 

  


Artemis found herself on that base reaction only to have her arm grabbed gently. She was turned to face the goddess and, trying to control the panic rising from her chest, mutated a quiet hello. 

“Hello, I don't think I have seen you around here? Are you new? Are you lost?”

“Lost. I am definitely decently lost. But I am sure that I can get by. Thank you. goodbye.” Artemis removed the other's arm and then ran. What had started out as not a bad day soured quickly. Why did she have to go and say something like that? She wasn't lost. Ok, she might have been lost I the goddess's eyes but she was pretty sure that was not what she was talking about when she asked if she was lost.

  


All of this thinking caused her problems. The biggest one was that she ran right into Apollo. Her not a bad day but a soured one was now completely fucked. she only hoped he didn't know what she was thinking. 

“Sister! I am so glad to have run into you. I have a need for your help.”

helping Apollo usually involved some sorta debasement on Artemis part. he was her brother so it was ok right? doing something like that was how people helped their siblings. she pushed down the tiny voice that told her she was lying to herself and that that was not how family acted. “what can I help you with brother?” it was soft, tired, and resigned. she knew nothing other than acceptance was going to be allowed.

“That is the spirit sister. now, why don’t you come with me well I explain how you will be helping me on this fine day.”

***

  


he really didn’t want to be here. not in apollos bed, or his arms. not even in the same temple as him. she hated everything that Apollo stood for. he was, in her right full opinion a cruel god. never listening to his devotees unless it was a young, pretty girl, he never even thought about the other’s that wanted his attention or to earn his favor. as a god he was a piece of trash. so why didn’t she just leave. run away. maybe even see if that goddess from earlier wanted to talk. 

  


it was useless, nothing would change. she had tried to go to Zeus with her concerns when this all started but all he did was pat her on the head and told her that of course she could stay a virgin and did not have to marry anyone. 

she could feel Apollo above her, grunting and panting. she just wanted it to be over. she never liked helping him. she did not like sex. she did not like all the grunting and pushing and hurt that it required. she hated the fluids and, among other things, all the body parts that weren't hers near her. she remembered , quite vividly, the last time she voiced this to apollo. it did not go well. she ended up with a wound that never truly healed. a very good reminder that she was not at all important. that nothing she wanted was going to be taken in to consideration, and last, but probably the most important was that she was supposed to take care of her brother. the voice in her head that sounded like Apollo projected a thought in to her musings. how could she even think these thoughts about him. Apollo was her brother. she was supposed to support him and protect him. no matter what! so what if she had to endure a few hours of being uncomfortable. was it not worth it to help her brother?

but the thing you must remember is that artemis was not just uncomfortable, she was embarrassed, distressed, and out right exhausted. it would have been kinder to throw her into a pit of the underworld and leave her to rot, then to subject her to this tourcure. artemis could never forgiven Apollo for not only being the person to causing her this feeling. but also ignoring and punishing her for trying to voice this to him. 

she thought about the curly haired goddess. wondered how it would feel to run her hands through her hair, to feel the touch of her hand. she thought it might be soft, what with all the books, she must have been a scholar goddess. artemis kept on thinking about all the things she and the goddess could do only to have a rude feeling bring her back to the bed with apollo. she could feel the pain blossoming on her cheek and hear through the ringing in her ears, to turn over. she did as she was bid, even knowing that it would bring nothing good.

“I can see, sister, that you need a reminder of who you belong to. of who is your lord and master. I do have to wonder, though, who you were thinking about just now. if you tell em, i may go easy on you.”

it was a lie. she knew that it was a lie. told herself that she should just keep her mother shut, he never goes easy on her, that - “it was one of the goddesses.” it was out of her mother before she could stop it. she fought back the tears, Apollo was going to hurt her, and then he would deal with the goddess. even if the goddess survived she would never want artemis after. why did Apollo have to take everything from her. you deserve this. you are a weak and lazy disgrace of a goddess. the voice had come back with a for. spewing its vetrole in to her brain and clouding her thoughts. 

  


“well now isn’t this interesting. I wonder, do you like this goddess?”

  


“i- i don’t know. I just saw her earlier today before I ran into you. she said hi to me.”

  


“and what did you say back?”

  


“nothing.”

  


“oh come on. you expect me to believe that what as much real estate in your thought she is taking up, you haven’t even said anything to her? I don't believe that.” to most his tone would sound teasing, but Artemis knew better than that. it was his you are lying to me and now you are in trouble. 

“I promise I didn't say anything to her. I didn't do anything. I promise. I promise. i-”

she was cut off from the pain now blossoming across her backside. it felt like hundreds of tiny knives had found there way in to her. for all she knew that might have. it wasn’t as if Apollo did not thrive on creativity. she still remembers the time he made her give birth to 30 snakes. she never wanted to go through that again.

“all you need to do is tell the truth. Confess your sins and you will be forgiven.”

  


“I didn't talk to her!” she cried out as again it felt like hundreds of knives were caressing and digging into her flesh.

  


“if you didn’t then why are you thinking about fucking her?”

  


“I'm not. I'm not! I only wanted to hold her hand! wanted-” she was cut off again as the pain came.

  


“you are lying to me again. you know I don't like liars.”

  


she couldn’t breather as the blows rained down. she could feel her skin split and the ichor come to the top. Beading in the wounds and then spilling over when the shallow dips make by the instrument became too full. she let the tears fall. nothing she said would be accepted as truth if he did not like the answer.

Apollo eventually got bored and started to go back to fucking her. Only to get a truly awful idea. he spread her apart and shoved in without any preparation. the screams his big sister made were like music to his ears. he pulled out only to see the ichor covering his dick. smiling he shoved back in. he wondered how long he could keep her screaming like this for him. “you should be grateful, you whore. I have decided that you will get to clean my cock after i finish. I shouldn't be giving you this gift, but maybe a reward will help you to remember next time what will happen if you lie to me. what do you think big sister? don't you want to clean off your brother cock after it has been in your ass. just think how tasty it will be.” with one more shove and a grunting noise, he came. making sure that it coated the inside of her ass. pulling out he grabbed his sisters hair and shoved her down. he forced his cock into her mouth and held her there. not letting up until he felt the small licks of her tongue cleaning his seed and her own life force off. 

***

  


Artemis threw up the moment she was alone. She couldn’t, no that was a lie. She could believe it. Her brother was a monster and even worse someone who always was right, whether or not it was true. She felt the ichor running down her legs ,mixing with her brother's cum and it made her vomit again. She had never thought that he would do something that, disgusting, that vicious. she never thought that he would sodomize her. thinking back upon her life with Apollo she thinks, with realization, that she is more surprised that he had not done that to her sooner. 

  


“I am disgusted, and worthless.”

  


“I don't think so.”

  


Artemis whorled around so fast she almost fell. catching herself on the railing she made the fluids running down her leg invisible.

  


“i, um, that is what?” so much for elegance she thought.

  


“I don't think that you are worthless or discusting. in fact i think you are quite nice and very pretty. you are artemis? one of leto’s twins?”

  


“yes? I'm sorry but I don't seem to know who you are, I am afraid that you are incorrect. I am not nice or pretty.”

  


“Athena, and you are quite wrong, but i will let the matter go as it seems that it is upsetting you. We met earlier and I was wondering.”

  


“Athena,” said artemis trying of the name in her mouth. she found she rather liked it. “Athena, what were you wondering.”

  


“why you ran, and what is making you so scared of your brother.”

  


“what!” it came out higher pitched then she had intended, and less aloff. “i am not!”

  


“yes, you are, but we will table that for another time, why did you run?”

  


“I am not.” Artemis said it firmly and willed herself to believe it. “and I ran because I had a previous engagement.”

  


“oh.” artemis felt the undertone of that statement in her gut. it meant more than just a simple emotion of surprise, it meant that, i know you are lying, I know that that is not why you ran, and above all it meant that she was going to let it go, and accept what she had said as truth.

  


“If you ever change your mind about talking my door is open. would you mind walking me back to the library? I have some books to return.”

  


“i, yes. I mean no. i- of course I'll walk with you.” she had almost forgotten about the fluid until she moved and a fresh trickle started to slid down her legs. stealing herself for an uncomfortable walk turned and headed towards the library. it wasn’t until that had arrived that artemis noticed she nolong was covered in a mix of her and her brother. shaking her head at the thought that popped up she turned to leave only to feel athena’s hand on her arm. it wasn’t quite soft, but it wasn’t as calloused as one would expect from a goddess of war.

  


“artemis, promise me something? I know that we have only just met, but promise me that you will come to me anytime you want. my door will always be open. no reason is too small to come.”

  


“i, i can’t promise that. I'm sorry.” artemis fled. she didn’t want to see Athena’s face at her statement.


	3. to want/ to desire/ not knowing/ not understanding

Athena pursed her lips in puzzlement. she had thought upon first glance of the molten eyes goddess was how striking she was. it was rare to meet a goddess that was still innocent in heart. crossing over to her and shift the books in her arms she called out in a greeting, only to see her blush and then run in the other direction. she made to go after her but paused at the feeling of fear that came upon seeing Artemis run into apollo. it took her a moment to realize that the fear was not her’s as she first thought, but Artemis. now, why would Artemis be afraid of her twin. Athena didn’t have a good answer to that so she followed at a sedate pass and made her self comfort at the thrids balcony she saw. it would not take long for Artemis to come back this way, and even if it did she though, she did have the time.   
upon the second meeting with the molten eyes goddess, Athena thought that it had gone infinitely better. she had not run away even if she did want to. it was in the eyes. they looked like a wounded animal who expected everyone it met to hurt it. it made Athena wonder what made the young goddess that way. it was then she smelled it. ichor had always had a very particulate smell. you never will forget it once you know what it smells like. taking a careful breath through her nose she found that she could smell something else, something—-.   
“oh.” it came out before she could stop it. she had to wonder who could do that to someone. with the amount of ichor she could smell, it could not be an accident. it could not be passed off as someone got a little carried away, was a little too enthusiastic. it had to have been on purpose. a small sound cut off her next thought and she had to work very hard to mask her emotions.

“would you mind walking me to the library? I have some books to return.” she bearly got the worlds out in her fury. she waited until they got to the library and Artemis had moved to leave before she acted. placing her hand on Artemis's arm she could feel the trembling, resisting the urge to pull her closer, she healed all the damage that she could and cleaned her up. she asked Artemis for a promise but only got a no in return.

she watched the retreating back and now knew why Artemis had been scared of Apollo. she knew that apollo was not the kindest person, in fact, he was downright sadistic. at one point he had tried to sleep with her but she made sure that he knew what awaited him if he did not accept her no for what it was. she now had to fight back the thoughts of what he might have done to Artemis in the face of that rejection.

she turned in to the library setting the books on the counter and leaving for her rooms. she was lost in thought and almost ran over Ares in their doorway.

“My dear, are you feeling ok?”  
“no.”  
“What is wrong? anything I can do to help?”  
“Not unless you can go back in time and murder your baby brother apollo.”  
“Did he hit on you again? I will kill him. Rip him apart and spread his very being upon and across the world. I’ll-” Athena stopped him and shook her head. She moved further into the room and tried to forget the knowledge she had just gained about Artemis. it was a futile effort she was beginning to realize.   
“it isn’t me. But his sister.”  
“which sister? can’t be Artemis. he loves her more than life its self.”  
“I don’t think what he feels for her is love, Ares. and it is his twin I am talking about. there is something wrong about her relationship with him. She was afraid when she ran into him earlier and when I saw her again later she, her legs were covered in ichor and….” Athena went silent. She didn’t really want to think about that. 

“look, I think that you are getting into this a little too much. Apollo obviously loves her. there is nothing to suggest otherwise. as for the ichor covering her legs, maybe she cut herself?”

“and where, exactly where would this cut be? And how deep?” She watched Ares struggle with the concept and the question. watched the gears turn behind his eyes as he tried to come up with a case that would not bee what was clearly laid out in front of them. 

* * *

“can you just let this go? maybe she likes that sort of thing. or it might not have even been apollo. did you think of that? maybe it was Orion or the fellow that killed the stag in her grove. one of them could have snuck up on her and …dishonored her.”  
“do you really think that a mear mortal could do such a thing to a goddess? do you think that she is so weak and defenseless that she would let a human come upon her so unaware that she would be left bleeding from the encounter? is that what you think?” Ares was just now being reminded that she was a goddess of war, no matter how soft and gentle she was assumed to be.   
“that is not what, don’t take my words out of context! You know what I meant. I was simply stating that it might not have been apollo doing whatever you think was done to her. I gave viable alternatives, you are just trying to find issues where there are none. let it go. if she wants help, she will ask.”  
“what are you so afraid of! why are you trying so hard to keep him on a pedestal? he is not worth it!”  
“Because I can’t lose you! Because I know how vile and evil he is. how destructive and cruel, and I can not lose you. I can not believe, or trust that he would let you go if you helped Artemis. and even if it is wrong, I would rather it be her than you. I, can not. Lose you. please just drop it. For my sake. Please.” 

Athena’s heart broke, and she wished that nothing more would make him stay safe. that nothing would let him believe that she would be safe. Shaking her head, she felt a tear slip down and catch on her chin. “I can’t. you know that I can’t. you know what I did for medusa, the gift I gave her. Why is Artemis less deserving of the same? Why should she not have the ability to be safe?” the unspoken, what if it was me who need help, was left hanging in the air.

“I’m sorry, Alea, I can’t. I can’t. there is no force on this mount that could stop you if you wished to pursue this, but I beg you, don’t do this.” he dropped to his knees and held her around her waist, face pressed into her stomach. just letting her feel the weight of what he was saying. _I won’t survive you losing to him. Without you, there is no i. please don’t leave me. I won’t survive._

“Ares, I, I can’t leave it. You know I can’t.” Athena moved to pet his hair and just hold him. She could feel the sobs rack his body, and she felt guilty that it was her to which was causing him distress. “she needs us. You have to feel it. She needs us and we need her. Two half's of a coin but no one tells you about the middle, the edge. She is our edge, our middle. She will complete us. I can’t give up on her. What he is doing… we have to save her.”

“What if she doesn’t want us, or only want one of us?” it came out brittle and strangled.   
“Then we will deal with that then. As of right now, if we don’t do anything then there might not be anyone to help.” 

He rubbed his face gently on her belly, enjoying the closeness even if he didn’t like the circumstances that brought him to this place. He had always like being in between her thighs. It made him feel safe and took off the pressure of trying to figure out all these emotions. “ok. just promise me you will be safe.”

“always.”


	4. schemes/ even the best laid/ are false

Apollo had to think. After he had finished reminding his lazy, traitorous bitch of a sister exactly who she belonged to and served. He left the bed and when to his office. glaring at the wall of his office, she started to rage. how dare she even think to look at another person like that. She was his, she knew better than to question that. He had started to think about the implications of the knowledge she had shared and to which end it could be used for. so his little sister liked girls. this could prove useful. 

if he could just manage to, then he could have another seat under his power. Artemis, well it had to be a goddess with power, his sister may be stupid what she wasn’t tasteless. after all, she had chosen him to be her mate. the who thing with Zeus and the eternal “virginity” was very clever. he was shocked that she had been capable of that level of creativity. he supposed that he shouldn’t be, but she had never had that level of thought from her before or again so it must have been a fluke. pity, he would have liked to have had someone smart to talk to at some point.

he thought more on who this goddess could be, it would not have been Zeus’s bitch, Hera, or Aphrodite. gods above every one knew that she was stepping out on the poor bastard. Apollo couldn’t wait for his own taste of the goddess of love. it was sure to be delightful. that did not leave many goddesses with seats at the table. only Hestia and Athena. well and Demeter, but Artemis would know who that one was from all the times she had graced his bed. Hestia and Athena both wanted and got granted, eternal virginity. but he knew that Hestia was in bed with Prometheus so that just left Athena. with the right amount of work she could be useful to him. even with very little work, she could be very useful. 

he heard the door open and close letting him know that Artemis was leaving. he thought about getting up and bring her back to warm his cock, but decided against it. . he had need of the time by himself and having to always take care and guide his sister was taking its toll. She just needed to stop being so needy.


	5. Oh wild hunt/ majestic/ unending/ how do i serve thee/ upon this day

Artemis, could not contain the fury anymore. Out and out and out it came pouring. The winds raged around her and the sun became blacked out in the overcast sky. All around he came to the trumpets and drums. Then the hooves started their heartbeat. Without thought she ran into the fog, joining the ancient dance. 

she grasped out for and then mounted the first horse she came in to contact with. artemis’s ability to deal with her emotions was nonexistent. she understood then and relied on them, but utilizing them in a constructive way was so far beyond her palatabilities that she stopped trying millennia ago. when she became the goddess of the hunt and was unto then gifted the _wild hunt_ she had found an outlet. apollo could not touch her when she was within the hunt’s fog, not could he make her call upon the hunt. It was hers and hers alone. She could share it if she wished; she did not wish. 

she kept along the path, even in her fury she remembered the warning bestowed upon her. _do__n’t leave the path, don’t stay past the dawn, and above all, do not ride if you are not going to hunt. Hunting_ was always her plan. The rules were put in place for a reason. The hunt had been around for eon’s it was started by a not quite mortal man who wanted vengeance, who was driven by fury. It was him who had gifted it to her, his spirit on the verge of dis-incorporating. he had never left the hunt and over time, it had taken all his rage, his vengeance, and then after they had consumed it went on to the other emotions. one by one they were picked off until only a sliver of acceptance was left. it had left the hunt hungry. so she fed it her rage at Apollo, her fear at what he would do to Athena, her guilt for dragging another god’s partner into her world. 

When dawn was just about to break, she came upon apollo sleeping in his bed. it was a frightening smile that crossed her face. She wanted to do so much to him, wanted to make him feel what she did. He wanted to let the hunt feed upon his fear for a change. She let herself off her mount and whispered instructions to them. This was their target, whenever they wanted to play, they could with him. They were not allowed to have him join the hunt. Artemis’s mount nodded, as Hemera, crossed the horizon bring with her the dawn, chasing after her lover Nyx. she wished for nothing more than for Apollo to die but could bide her time. for now, being a food source and victim to the hunt would have to do.

* * *

she left the room before he could awake. she left the building and when where ever her feet led them. she could not believe that she had sicked the Hunt on him. 

“what the hell have I done?” it came out a whisper. she could not believe that she had taken action, not realizing that apollo had reached her breaking point. unable to take in what she had done, Artemis snapped. she went back to before it all happened. being a child was much simpler. nothing was expected of her. the fact that only apollo had really been a child escaped her thoughts with her permission. 

She like this new feeling. it emboldened her, and she soon found herself at the library hoping that the pretty Athena was there today. She really wanted to talk with her. She did say anytime, that Artemis was welcome to come and talk. she wanted to share what she did with someone. she grinned when she spotted the gray-eyed girl and skipped over to her.

“hi.”

“oh! Hello Artemis. how are you?” 

Artemis was taken back at this polite greeting. she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and answered. “you know how I am? you healed me yesterday? did you forget?” the last was said in a teasing manner.

Athena was not sure how to take Artemis's teasing or her answers. this was not what she had expected to come across today, in fact, she had not expected to see Artemis, for a while. 

“no, my rose, I have not forgotten yesterday. I just did not expect to see you today, on account of what I had healed, amoung other things. “

“your rose?” that had confused Artemis and she had not had time to understand the rest of what she had said.

“you don’t like it? I am sorry, I do not mean to upset you, meant no offense Artemis.”

“your rose. I like it. make me feel nice and safe. I am a rose. I am pretty and dangerous.” Artemis bounce on the balls of her feet in excitement. “oh, oh, thina. I have a secret to tell you!” 

it was a whispered shout and Athena had to hide her smile, she was not sure what had changed for yesterday to today but she could not have been happier in that moment for Artemis. “oh, what is the secret, my rose?”

“ok, but you gotta, promise not to tell.”

“I promise.”

“I sicked the Hunt on Apollo!” Artemis was giddy with the knowledge that she had done something that Athena would approve of —

“I’m sorry, you did what?”

Artemis was taken aback, she thought that Athena would have been proud of her for taking matters into her own hands, but instead, it seemed like she was angry. she didn’t want her to be angry.

“I’m sorry, I’m s’rry. I didn’t mean to make you mad. please don’t be mad. I’ll tell them to stop. I’ll-”

“rose, no, Rosey, please don’t mistake me for angry, I’m not angry.”

“your mad then, or-” she let the rest of it drop off, Athena had said that she wasn’t angry but.

“not, my rose, I am not angry, or mad. I am, I confess a little confused. Did you sick the Hunt on to apollo? what do you mean that you sicked the hunt on apollo?”

“they, The hunt I mean, won’t harm him. not really. just scare him. fed off his fear.” Artemis waited for a beat and in a small voice asked, “do I have to call them off?”

“no, my rose, my Rosey, you don’t. I just didn’t expect this from what I had seen yesterday. are you ok? you are acting differently.”

“‘m ok. what do you mean acting differently? I’m the same as I was yesterday.”

“no, you aren’t. you are more childlike. are you sure that you are ok?”

“I am fine!” the words were snapped out. Artemis thought Athena would be happy. she didn’t know why. she didn’t even know her, so why was she letting some picky goddess place a claim on her. “and don’t call me rose. I’m not anybody’s anything.”

Artemis turned on her heel and stalked off. she wouldn’t have called off the hunt even if Athena had asked her too. she was finally taking some control over her life and getting some of her power back. Nothing was going to stop her. she would finally be free one way or another.


	6. oh war/ grant me this/ a sanctuary upon which/ the innocent may rest

Athena was, to say the least, very confused. She watched Artemis stalk off and found herself wondering, not for the first time if there was something she was missing about Artemis. to admit it felt wrong, but she had been stalking the goddess for a while now. Though is she was going, to be honest, could it really be stalking if she wasn’t planning to do anything nefarious to the goddess? She didn’t think so but, nothing would be determined by her. 

She leaned back into her chair and tried to figure out what had given Artemis the leap into anger. It was if the way the emotions were working on her, that she was a child. It didn’t seem possible as Artemis hadn’t ever been a child. She sprang full-grown and then her brother was born as a child of 4 years. 

It would make sense she reasoned. seemed too simple, yet she figured out that it was the only acceptable possibility to the answer she was looking for. It wasn’t as if she had been posses, or it was apollo pretending to be Artemis. apollo had bruise yellow eyes and could have never faked the Molten silver that was her rose’s. she just needs to find out why Artemis was acting childlike or was a child, or… she wasn’t really sure how to classify what was happening. She didn’t like that. 

Sighing she went back to her pile of books, getting lost in them to the determent of her safety. She didn’t notice when Ares snuck up to her and poked her in the sides. As such you can not blame her for the overreaction. Besides, it was only a flesh wound.

“ow! that hurt.”

“whining doesn't become you, and you should have known better than to try.”

“well you were really into your books and you don’t come out of it well.” Ares stumbled over the words. 

“very true, but that is not what you wanted to talk about is it? What do you need my small sparrow?”

“um, it has been 3 days since you went to the library, you told me to check on you if that happens. so, here I am. checking on you. like you asked me to.” Ares’s waited a beat, “was I not supposed to?”

Athena glared at him, “you know the answer to that. besides you still haven’t answered the question. what do you want to talk about?”

“I’m …enough right? you aren't looking at Artemis because I’m not good with emotions or because I get a little too into war or—”

“no dove, no. here help me gather the books and let's go back to our rooms. we can talk there. I feel like this is a conversation that needs to happen in private.”

Ares wanted to argue, wanted to scream at her that if he was enough, then why is she going for another person. Instead, he just nodded and helped her gather the books. away to the rooms, a way to her telling him what he wanted to hear, only for her actions to tell a different story. 

* * *

of course, Ares was enough for her. what had she done to make him believe otherwise? look Artemis needed help. if no one else was going to take a look into what was happening then she was, Ares just needed to understand that she wasn’t— Athena stopped so suddenly in the hallway that Ares nearly ran her over. She could sorta see where he had gotten the idea that he was not enough. “oh, Ares, dove, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean, it is not like that.” she had whipped around to face him. eyes wide in shock at what her actions had caused. “I promise, you are ENOUGH. I sawer on the mount and the Flame. I promise. please say you believe me.”

Ares didn’t know what to make of this sudden admission coming out of his Mistress’s, and to him, she was his Misstress even if she saw them as equals, mouth. he knew that she loved him. he had just had a moment of weakness. it didn’t mean anything anyway. it was just one of her flights. like Medusa. he tried very hard not to think of how that went. the sadness, and then the anger. shad had loved her too, only to be forced to let her be killed for another god's child. it was only the worse thing to have to happen to someone. 

“I know that. I know you over me. I just was having a moment. I‘m sorry to give you the wrong impression. it wasn’t the intention.”

he could tell she didn’t believe him, hades, he didn’t even believe himself. he saw her reach for his hand and he moved so she could grasp it. he had never minded when she dragged him around. all too soon he got back to the rooms and wished that he had had more time. 

“Alea, please—” he wasn’t quite sure what he was asking for. 

“Dove, please look at me. I know that you know I love you. but I can see how my actions have caused the knowledge that I both love you, and are in love with you to be taken into question. I do want her. I want her, as I want you, but that doesn't mean I will get her, or even if I do get her that you will be cast aside. you are so very important to me. nothing will change.”

“that’s a lie. everything will change, we, is it we, if it is not talked about? even then, we would be adding another person, one who needs help and is kinda like me. you can tell that she had trouble with some things just like I have trouble with fine emotions. so please don’t give me false truths. don’t lie to me.”

“ok, everything will change, but then again nothing will. I will still have time for you. we will still have our sections with each other.”

“that is not what I am concerned with. Yes, you want Artemis. Yes, Artemis might want you. But have you ever thought that I might not want Artemis, or she might not want me, or even that I don’t want two partners or to share you with another. that maybe I want to keep you all to myself, be Selfish, I think that is the right emotion, as it were?”

“did you stop to think of anything, but your wants? did you even ask me if I wanted any of this? from my memory you didn’t. you just told me, and then ran right over my protests and feelings for your wants.”

he held up a hand to Athena when she tried to say something in her defense. “I’m not done. you are trying to tell me that I am valued. that I am important and What I Want matters. how, with everything you have done, in this week alone, have you shown me that? all I have seen is that Athena gets what she wants and Ares just has to suck it up and let it go.”

“Ares—”

“no, I am tired of being second to your wants. it is not like I am even second to your needs. That I think, even with my emotional issues, I could manage to grasp.” he set down her books on the table in the den and turned to go to his room. “oh, when you figure out how to be a decent person, let me know. I’ll be in my room. you are not allowed to enter. please respect that, even if you don’t feel like respecting me. I would be much obliged. good night.”

all Athena could do was watch him shut the door behind him. the more she thought about it, the more she let his words circle her thoughts, the more she could start to see the patterns. Medusa, Athene, Perseus, Orestes, Odysseus… she tended to put them all above Ares. even if it was only for a short time, she still put heroes and trauma victims above her partner. Above the very person, she kept tell that she would never do something like that. still, he forgave her when she did. still love her and overlooked all the broken promises. 

she was abruptly brought out of her thoughts when she was inches away from his door hand raised about to turn the knob. dropping her hand as if she the knob was on fire she turned around and left to her chambers. after all the broken promises she could do nothing less than give him this request for privacy and peace. she hoped that whatever relationship was still there between them could be salvaged. 

Please_, Chaos, let me be able to fix this mess __I__ wrought. _it was her last thought before she fell asleep.


End file.
